Wall construction



July 12, 1960 e. D. PETERSON WALL CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 INVENTOR. GER/r40 2 P7zwsow G. D. PETERSON WALL CONSTRUCTION July 12, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 B ,3 U H. 0 M ..v m 4 6 a [a \W o 5 o 9 2 3 flrm a 2 w a a? n o a a a o r a M g a 3 2 Z INVENTOR. QERALQ .0. PETE/P50 ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. D. PETERSON WALL CONSTRUCTION July 12, 1960 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 INVENTOR. 65/3440 0. PETERSON AT A/E) July 12, 1960 cs. D. PETERSON WALL cous'rnucnou 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 2 +1 v 74 6 Q Q L Di i M J E MW a a a 2 2 U I f July 12, 1960 cs. D. PETERSON WALL CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 PETERSON INVENTOR GERALD D ATTORNEYS Unite Stats 2,944,641 I WALL CONSTRUCTION 'j' 1 Gerald D. Peterson, 1130 Parker Ave.,'Detroit, Mich.

Filed Beat, 1954, Ser. No; 413,255. H 2 Claims. (cr es-s4 This invention relates to building construction and- ,more particularly 'attachinga facing, or curtai n,"wall to the structural steel is dir'ec'tedto an improved device for frameworkof a building. 1 I k U A known method of constructing buildings is to erect a steel framework and then attach a facing wall or curtain wall thereto. The facing wall hangs in the fashion of a continuous curtain in front of, and from, the structural steel framework. In this type of construction, it is oftenidesirable to use aluminum members as partofthe facing wall because oftheir superior strength. pleasing appearance and ease of maintenance. However inthis typev ofconstruction the difference in coefficients ofjex- I pension of the steel framework and of the aluminum members makes use of thealuminum members as part of the facing wall .diflicult becauseof the problem of providing for the expansion and contraction ofthe aluminum members It is likewise a problem .toerect such walls cheaply because as heretofore constructed facing walls required a great amount of skilled labor .in the attaching thereof.

Accordingly, it is an objectof this invention to pro;

Other objects andadvantages of thisinvention will be apparent from a reading of the accompanying specification and an inspection of the drawings.

; In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a facing wall employing the construction of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section along line IIII of Figure l with the concrete surrounding the vertical girder not shown. I

} l atented July 12, 1960 ice zontal and vertical members; In order to accommodate the expansion or contraction of the vertical members with respect to the framework of the building, the topend of each of. the vertical members is attached to the framework through a substantially horizontal link'which in turn is capable of slight pi votal.movement with respect to the member ofthe framework to which it is attached.

Relative'expansion or contraction will causeslight pivotal movement of said linkandthereby'permit verticalmovement of the vertical member with respect to the framework. The horizontal rnember is attached to the frame;

workby' means ofa bracket which iscapable of flexing in a horizontal direction. Expansion or contraction of the horizontal member with respect to the framework causes flexing of the bracket. T he bracketis of suflicicnt flexibility and the link is. capable. of suflicient pivotal movement that any expansion or contraction of the horizontal or vertical members maybeaccommodated without injuring the connections between these members and the building framework. The connections between the horizontal-and vertical members and the framework are simple so that unskilled labor may be used to effectuate their assembly. I a

a I Detailed description a l i in accordance with the invention,- horizontal and vertical g-irders,"11 and 12, respectively (Figure 2; andothers), are-connected together by any suitable'means to form the framework of the building. Horizontal girders 11 are adapted to'support floor structures 13. The vertical girder is encased with concrete, asat 14 (Figure-5) for protection of the girder. A curtain wall is attached to the-framework to form the external wall of the building and includes a plurality of vertical members 15, 16,- 17', 19, 20, 21 and 22 (Figure 1). As shown'in Figure 5', with respect'tovertical member 21, each vertical member is formed of three parts 23, 24, and '25 Parts 23 and 24 are mirror images of 'eachother and include a central web, flanges at one end of theweb extending at right angles thereto in either direction from the web, the other end of the web being formed with an outwardly facing Figure 3 is a cross-section along line IIIII-I of Fig ure-l with the concrete surrounding the secondaryvertical members not shown. 5

Figure 4 is a cross-section along line IV-,IVof Figure 1' with parts partially broken away.

Figure 5 is a cross-section along "line "V'V of..Figet r n I a I I a Figure 6 is a cross-section along line VI--VI oflFig ur'e 3 withparts thereof paltially broken away.

groove 65. Part 25 is provided to join parts'23 and'24 together and has projecting flanges 66 thereon to fit within the grooves '65 of the webs. The reason for this particular structure will'be discussed hereinbelow.

The curtain wall also includes a plurality of horizontal members 27,. 28. 29 and 30 (Figure vl). vEach of the horizontal members has a horizontal web portion 31*(Figure 4), a downwardly extending flange =32 on the exterior portion .of the web and a pair of. vertically extending flanges 33 on the interior portion of the web. The ends ofeachhorizontal memberare' formed with upstanding flanges .34 (Figure'S) to prevent Water from flowing over the-edges into the vertical .members. Each of the horizontalmembers supports a window unit 35, preferably of the type having'horizontally movable sash. although it is Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the.-line IX- IX of Figure 4.

to be understood-that anyisuitable window unit: may be used-without departing-from the scope of this invention.

Connectors 36 (Figurei7') are provided to position the window's ion, the, horizontal members.

The horizontal members are -also adaptedto support wall units 37 formed of masonry, aluminum or other suitable material. Con nectors 39 are provided on;the" horizontal and, vertical members tolocate' the wall units '37 in place.

Midway between the vertical members andbelow the window units, secondary vertical members 40 (Figur \J l and 3) are provided re give additional support to the window units. Flange structure 41 is attached to the secondary vertical member 40 and is in turn connected to the horizontal girder 11 by a suitable connecting means 43. Flange structure 41 is encased by concrete, as at 42 (Figure 6). This structure furnishes support for the window units against horizontal wind pressure.

At the point where the membeis of the facing wall are attached to the framework, vertical membe rs'- 21 and 22 are positioned above and below the adjacent endsof the horizontal member 29 and the horizontal member 3% (Figure 8). The interior wall of each of the vertical members is cut away so that it mates with the flange 33 of the horizontalmembers. One end'o'f each of the horizontal members is connected to an angle member 44 (Figure 4) by means of bolts; 47. The" adjacent end of another horizontal inember is connected to angle member 45 by similar bolts. 'spect to vertical member 21, part 24 of the vertical members is connected to angle member 44 by bolt 49. Part 23 of the vertical member 21 is connected to angle member 4'5 by bolt 51. As shown in Figure 5, the vertical girder 12 has a plate 53 attached thereto by means of angle members 52. Plate 53 is in turn connected to the flanges 44 and '45 by a plurality of bolts 55. A suflicient number of bolts 55 are provided to prevent any vertical movement of this endof the vertical member with respect to the vertical girder.

The leg of each of angle, members 44 and 45 which respectively engage plate 53 is of sufficient length that it is capable of flexing in a horizontal direction. A clearance is provided between the adjacent ends of horizontal members, for example, members 29 and 30, as appearing in Figure 5, so that there may be relative movement therebetween in a direction toward and away from each other. Expansion or contraction of the horizontal members will cause the adjacent ends thereof to move toward or away from each other and this in turn will cause flexing of the angle members 44 an 45; It will be seen that parts 23 and 24 of the vertical member will also flex since they are rigidly aflixed to the angle members. It will be appreciated, therefore, that it is desirable to make the vertical members in the three-part construction set forth' above so that it will be possible for the parts 23 and 24 to flex with respect to-each other. However, the invention is not limited to the details of the particular three piece struc ture of the vertical member illustrated.

As shown in Figure' 5 with re- 7 As illustrated in Figure 4 with respect to member 21,

each of the top ends of the vertical members is connected to a suitable connecting plate 56, which may be either a pair of angles 6511,. 65b (Figure 9) or a T-sh'aped connecting: clip 70 (Figure 10), and the plate 56 is in turn mounted on the plate 53. Bolts 57' attach the plate 56 to the parts 23' and 24 of the vertical member. Coniiecting plate 56 is connected to plate 53 by a single bolt 58. The single bolt SSTis provided and is somounted that connecting plate 56 is capable of slight pivotal movement about the axis of bolt 58 and thereby a limited vertical motion is permitted to the vertical member 21 A suitable clearance is provided between the top end of each vertical member and the horizontal members adjacent thereto so that there will be no binding of parts when such pivotal movement occurs. Thus, expansion or contraction of the vertical member will cause pivotal movement of the connecting means 56 with respect to the vertical girder 12 and the vertical member will be enabled to move vertically suffici'ently' to accommodate the expansion or contraction movement-.-

Connections between the horizontal and vertical members of the curtain wall andthe framework of the building similar to those described above in referenceto hori- 'zontal members 29 and 3t) and vertical members 20 and 21, are provided wherever two horizontal and two vertical member's meet; 7

Referring to Figure 6,angles 64) are connected as by bolts 61 to the horizontal members 29. The angle members 60 are in turn connected by bolts 62 to flange structure 41 and thereby to the horizontal girder 11.

It is seen, therefore, that a construction which is capable of accommodating horizontal and vertical expansion of the facing wall with respect to the framework has been provided. The construction is so simple that the parts can be readily prefabricated at the factory and unskilled labor can be utilized to elfect the necessary simple connections needed. I I

Although the above mentioneddrawings and description apply to one particular, preferred embodiment of my invention, it is not my intention, implied or otherwise, to eliminate other variations or modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

l. A structure for attaching a plurality of-structural members to the framework of a building comprising, in combination: an elongated framework member; first and second axially aligned structural members substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said framework member; third and fourth axially aligned structural members extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said framework member, said four structural members having surfaces lying in a common plane spaced from, and parallel with, said framework member; a pair of angle members, each of said angle members having a first leg substantially parallel with said common plane and a second leg extending transversely to said common plane toward said framework member; first connecting means rigidly connecting the first leg of one of said angle members to said first structural member and said third structural member adjacent theproxirnate ends thereof; second connecting means rigidly connecting the first leg of the other of said angle members to said first structural mem her and said fourth structural member adjacent the proximate ends thereof; means rigidly connecting the second legs of said angle members to said framework member adjacent the ends of said second legs closest to said framework member, said second legs being of sufficient length between the point of connection thereof to said framework member and said common plane to be capable of flexing in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said third and fourth structural members; a bracket fixedly secured to the end of said second structural member adjacent the other structural members, said bracket extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said second structural member toward said framework member; means connecting said bracket to said framework member for pivotal movement' l;vith respect thereto in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said framework member.

2. A structure for attaching a plurality of aluminum members to the steel framework of a building, comprising: a vertically extending steel framework member; tw'o vertically extending and two horizontally extending aluminum members; said horizontal aluminum members each including a horizontal web'having upwardly and downwardly extending flanges at its inner end; said vertical aluminum members each including two horizontally spaced sections, each section including a vertically extending web having sidewardly extending flanges at its inner end, the inner portions of said sections being capable of flexing sidewardly with respect to each other; a

strip connecting the outer end of said vertically extendin g webs, the adjacent ends of said two horizontal aluminum members being spaced'a slight distance from each other to allow for expansion thereof and being received between the adjacent ends of said vertical aluminum members with the flanges on said horizontal and said vertical aluminum members being aligned and coplanar;

a structure connecting said two horizontal and one of said vertical members to said vertical steel member ineluding a pair of spaced angle members, said angle members each having a first vertical leg parallel with a corresecond legs of said angle members also respectively abutting against and rigidly connected to the upwardly and downwardly extending flanges on one of said two horizontal aluminum members; means rigidly connecting the inner ends of saitl first legs to said vertical steel memher; a further angle member connecting the other of said vertical aluminum members tosaid vertical steel member, said further angle member including a vertical pivot about a horizontal axis; said further angle having leg; a horizontal bolt connecting'said vertical leg to said steel member so that said further angle member may a pair of sidewai'dly extending flanges abutting against the sidewardlyextending flanges on the other of said vertical aluminum members and means rigidly connecting the 'sidewardly extending flanges of said further angle member to the sidewardly extending flanges on the other 7 of said vertical aluminum members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,962,201 Lunken June 12, 1934 2,230,348 Cox et al. Feb. 4, 1941 2,347,756 Swenson May 2, 1944 2,384,859 'Thayer Sept. 18, 1945 2,393,770 Harvey "Jan. 29, 1946 2,583,599 Schoessow Ian. 29, 1952 20 2,655,238 

